The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas Movie Review:


Why on earth was Brian Levant allowed to make another Flintstones Movie after the last one he made was a badly made, unfunny unworthy imitation of the cartoon series it was based on?

If this was a kiddies TV series I would ask you to send in your answers on a postcard please. But if you want e mail me with the answer if you can think of one. Personally I can't.

I loved the Flintsones when I was a kid and still enjoy watching it when I catch on the TV now.Its sense of humour has managed to stand up even after all these years since they started making it which is a testament to how funny the jokes must have been at the time. To my mind the Flintstones was always the equivalent of the Happy Days with the interaction between the characters and the situational nature of the comedy and the families.

But when Brian Levant made the Movie did anybody enjoy it ? Personally I hated it. It was stilted, unfunny (a travesty for a funny" film) and just plain boring.

With the way the first one came out. You would have thought the producers would have said . Ah well its a great property but the director wasn't suited to the material if we make another one we'll get another director.

No instead they do it the other way around. They get another Fred (now played by Mark Addy) and keep the director.

Did they think that by making this film as a prequel that it would make things alright? As I say this sequel is a prequel where Fred isn't married to Wilma yet and they along with Barney(Stephen Baldwin)and Betty(Jane Krakowski) go for a weekend to Rock Vegas.

Another problem with this Movie, the script. It has had too many people involved in it. Four credited in the titles and it seems that they have managed to write out all the fun in the script.

Stephen Baldwin as Barney was a bit of a strange choice too. The chemistry between him and Fred never seems to gel. An extremely important point for the Flintstones. Wilma and Betty also do not inpsire turning in dull as dishwater performances. Also can you remember Wilma and Betty looking them at all in the cartoon ?

Joan Collins,(playing Wilmas mother) has her tongue firmly in cheek and does nothing other than caricature herself. Now hasn't she done that before ?

Mark Addy playing Fred is the only lead actor to come out of this Movie with a bit of decency being well suited to the role.

Going back to Brian Levant he seems to have decided to throw away what was so good about The Flintstones and concentrate on the visual gags. Whereas the cartoon which was never the best animated cartoon in the world concentrated on the dialogue.

Bad mistake, never throw out whats good with the original, yes throw out the stuff that is either bad or can be improved but don't throw away the essence of the original.

In my opinion don't bother going to see this Movie, watch some of the cartoons instead you'll get more laughs and keep your money in your pocket.

Gary Gray

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